Grid pasting machine



June l, 1937. A D LUND GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 mwN l ARTHUR D. L UND ATTORNEY l June 1v, 1937. A. D. LUND GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed May 2l, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 June l, 1937.

A; D. LUND.

GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed May 2l, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 To O m INVENToR D W L D7, H1/,H Wim T m M Y/ B. Rem.

June l, 1937. A. D. LUND A GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 MKM Nm m MUIS l www, www Mmm.

. -IU i. 1\ |I||I|||||lr.|| i5/5,5 f L Y RD ,M O R R T O m W T T v m w A A Y N B el June l, 1937. A, D LUND GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed May 21, '1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 3f 368 lNvENToR *I 7 ARTHURLUND I x Z729 /3- ATTQRNEY 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Mam,

ARTHUR DLL/N1.'

ATTORNEY 50 through the center .Patented June 1, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRID PASTING MACHINE Arthur D. Lund, Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 21, 1934, Serial No. 726,744

52 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for pasting storage battery grids, and the primary object is to provide an elcient, practical, and relatively high speed machine for applying the pasty active material to the grid, for completely 4filling the grid spaces or interstices with the material, and then properly finishing the grid surface so that it will be complete as a unit for battery use. The machine comprises in cooperative relationship a series of correlated mechanisms including a receptacle for holding a vertical stack of unpasted grids, to be replenished as the stack is reduced in size; a stripper mechanism for removing one plate at a time from the bottom of the stack; a platen for receiving the successively stripped plates and placing them vertically in a lowering device; means for actuating the lowering device to feed the plates to the pasting rolls; means for preventing gaps between the grids as they travel through the paster device; and novel paste applying, rerolling, and

conveyor structures, together with novel adjust-` ments and control mechanisms, all of which will be more fully described in the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the machine, and

for purpose of convenience in'reierence the right end of the machine, as seen in this figure, will hereinafter be considered as the front or forward end.

Fig. 1A is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the platen actuating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is` a side elevation of the machine as seen from the opposite side from that illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2A is a detail elevation of a portion of the front end of the; machine as seen on the line 2A-2A in Fig. 2. y v

Fig.-3 is a top or plan view of the machine as looking down upon the same in Fig. 2, and with vthe right or rear end thereof broken away and with other parts omitted`or in section for purpose of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detaill elevation through the grid plate stripper carriage as seen on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken longitudinally through the a machine, and primarily instances the section runs through a plane oiiset with respect to the transverse center.

Fig. 6 is' an enlarged, detail sectional elevation through the paste feeding and applying rolls as t5 shown on a smallerv scale in Fig. 5. ,/-s

thereof, although in certain Fig. 7 is an enlarged, sectional elevation corresponding to the left end portion of Fig. 5, but showing the platen in its raised or vertical position, and with other actuating parts in the positions which they assume when the platen is thus raised.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, detail view of one of a pair of devices employed to frictionally engage and thus retard the downward movement of the grid plates as they leave the paste applying mechanism, and are delivered to the conveyor, which transfers them to what lis known as the reroll apparatus or mechanism. l

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, detail side elevation of a portion mechanism generally referred to as a lowering device.

of the platen actuating and grid feeding 15 Fig. 9a is another portion of the platen actuating and grid feeding mechanism, partly in section as on the line ila-9a in Fig. 10, this portion being operatively connected with the portion shown in Fig. 9, through the shaft |21.

Fig. 10 is a sectional, detail view as seen on the irregular. line Illl0 in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged, detail elevation of certain parts of the ,reroll and plate conveyor mechanism, as-shown in Fig. 2, with the upper end portion in section as on the line lI--ll in Fig. 12, and with the reroll belts and belt supporting and engaging devices in section on a vertical plane somewhat inwardly from the side of the machine.

' in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings more particularly and by reference characters, `2li designates a main frame or hollow base, and includes two heavy cast side walls 2l connected by suitable cross members such as 22, and also by the housings and other superstructures presentlyito be described. At the ,rear end of the machine the side frame members 2| 'are provided with longitudinal casting extensions 23 secured thereto by 'bolts 2l. Secured to thebase structure 20 is a by bolts 12.

driving motor 25 which provides power for the entire machine. This motor has a shaft 25 which drives a shaft 21 through the medium of sprocket gears 28 and 29, and a sprocket chain 39. The shaft 21 extends transversely through the base in which it is journaled, and at the end opposite from the sprocket gear 29 is provided with a sprocket pinion 3| which operates through a' sprocket chain 32 to drive a sprocket gear 33 on a transverse shaft 34 as shown in Fig. l. The shaft 27 also drives a laterally disposed, inclined shaft 35 through the medium of bevel gear 36 and a bevel pinion 38, the shaft 35 being journaled in a series of bearings 39, 40, and 4|.

Adjacent the bearing i0 the inclined shaft 35 has a worm screw 42 for driving a worm gear 43 on a shaft 44. At its upper or front end the shaft 35 has a bevel pinion 45 which meshes withand drives a bevel gear 45 on a stub shaft 47, which shaft 41 has a spur gear 48 for driving a second gear 49 which is mounted for rotation on a shaft 5E),` the members 49 and 50 being shown in detail in Fig, l0.

Referring again to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the driven end of the shaft 21 operates through gears 5| and 52 to drive a shaft 53 which also extends through the base structure, and is provided at its opposite end, as shown in Fig. 1, with bevel pinions 54 to thus transmit power to a rearwardly extending, laterally arranged shaft 55. This shaft 55 has a worm screw 56 for driving a worm gear 51 on a stub shaft 58; and the rear end of the shaft 55 operates through bevel pinions 59 to transmit power to a shaft 60, and this shaft 60 in turn drives one of the reroll shafts 6| through sprocket gears 62 and 63, and sprocket chain v64, as shown in Fig. 1. 'I'he other reroll shaft 65 is driven from the shaft 53 by sprocket gear 65, sprocket chain 61, and sprocket gear 68. Thus it will be seen that when the motor 25 is running it will supply power to all of the-transversely disposed shafts 21, 34, 44, 41., 53, 58, 60, 6|, and 65,'and to the gear member.49 mounted for rotation on and sometimes with the shaft 50.

Upon the front end of the base structure 20 is mounted a carriage unit designated generally by the numeral 69, which unit carries a considerable portion of the operating mechanism and is mounted for a limited reciprocating motion on the base 20. Extending laterally from the unit 69 are two flanges 10 (see Fig. 2A) which are slidable in channels formed by re` cesses in the upper ends of the base walls 2|, and cover plates 1| secured to the base Walls The channels for the flanges 10 are preferably more restricted at their rear ends, and adjacent these forward points the cover plates 1| are secured by bolts 13 which, when tightly screwed down will exert a clamping and retaining action on the flanges 10, and lthus rigidly securev the carriage unit 69 in adjusted positions.

At its forward end the carriage 69 is provided with a pair of laterally extending lugs 74 in which are adjustably secured setscrews 15, the purpose of which is to contact with the front end edges of the walls 2| to thereby adjustably limit the forward motion or movement of the carriage 69 with respect to the main frame of the machine. These stop bolts 15 are of course preferably provided with lock nuts 16 so as to secure them in the variously adjusted positions.

The unit 99 comprises an irregularly shaped member including a rear wall 11, a bottom plate 78,. and axshort front wall 19 to which is hingedlyr secured as at a door 9| having a knob 82, and

at its top the chamber 83 formed by these members is closed in part by a lid 94 hinged as at 35.

Side walls substantially complete the enclosure of this chamber, but they continue rearwardly and downwardly beyond the members 17 and 16, as best shown in Fig. '7, to form supports for other parts of the machine presently to be described. These rearwardly extending side walls, it may here be noted,'are connected by a shelf member 36, and also by an inclined chute forming plate 81 which has for its purpose to direct and discharge surplus paste material which has not been Worked -into the grid plates to be treated.

The carriage unit is slidably adjusted by a hand lever 88 which is mounted on a shaft 89 jcurnaled in the base structure 20, and this shaft, at a point intermediate its ends, 'is provided with a crank 90 (see Fig. '7) which is in turn connected by la link 9| to a depending lug 92 of the chamber portion of the carriage.

It will now be seen that by loosening the clamping bolts 13 the entire carriage may be shifted back and forth by manipulating the hand lever 93, and to the extent permitted by the stop bolts 15 in one direction, and to an amply sufficient degree in the other direction.

Upon the top of the carriage and between the lid 84 and the platen presently to be described, I mount a pair of laterally arranged guide plates 93 forming a chamber for a stack of grids 94 which are to receive treatment. These grids are stacked in such a manner that they may be stripped 01T, one at a time, from the bottom of the stack and be moved forwardly upon theplaten one at a time. This stripping action is effected .by a stripper plate 95 having substantially the same thickness as one of the grid plates so that as it moves rearwardly against the forward edge of the lowermost grid it will push the same rearwardly from in under the stack and deliver it to the platen. 'I'he stripper plate 95, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, is guided at its side edges in grooves 96 formed by recessed bars 91 secured by bolts 98 upon the upper side portions of the chamber housing. The stripper plate is secured along a central line to a traveler block 99 which operates in a slot formed in the top portion |00 of the chamber housing, and immediately below this top portion I provide the block 99 withY a pair of oppositely directed flanges 0| for sliding engagement in a race formed by a pair of guide bars |02. At its forward or left end, as shown in Fig. '7, I provide the stripper plate 95 with a pair of reinforcing cross bars |03 which are also secured to the block 99. The stripper unit is reciprocated by a link |04 which is pivotally connected as at |05 to a lug of the block 99, and is also pivotally secured at its other end to a left arm |06 which is fulcrumed as at |01 to a lug |08 in the bottom ofY the chamber 83. Intermediate its ends the lever |06 is connected by a connecting rod |09 to a trunnion pin I |0 projecting from a cam which in turn is carried on the inner end extremity of the shaft 50 previously referred to. Thus it will be seen that when the shaft 50 is rotated it will operate through the members ||0, |09, |05, and |04 to actuate the stripping mechanism.

Attention is now directed to Fig. 10 and the vright end portion of Fig. 9, wherein is disclosed lever H9, and at such `time gear 49 is a cam ring I I3, the outer peripheral edge of which is divided into four equal cam p ortions, and one end of each of these cam portions presents an inclined shoulder H4 for engagement by a pawl H5 which is pivoted as at H6 in a projecting portion of a cup-like member H1, which member substantially encloses the cam ring H3, but has a hub portion which is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured upon the shaft 50. The pawl I I5 is free to move through a peripheral opening I I8 in the cup member'l |1; and when it is in its inward position it will engage one of the shoulders H4 so that when the cam H3 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 9 it will engage the pawl I I5 to thereby rotate the cup member H1 and shaft 50 in unison with itself.

To disengage the pawl H5 from the cam ring H3 so that the shaft 50 will not be rotated with the gear H4, I provide a lever H9 which is fulcrumed as at |20 to a bearing lug |2| of the cup member I |1, and this lever has one finger or short end portion |22 in contact with a tooth |23 of the pawl H5, as shown in Fig. 10. The other or relatively longer end of the lever H9 is bifurcated so that the two arms thereof will be disposed at opposite sides of the outer ,hub portion of the member H1, and will be so arranged that when pressed inwardly the finger |22 will engage the tooth |23 to thereby disengagethe pawl H5 from the cam ring. The lever H9 is actuated to produce this disengagement by a collar |24 which is slidably keyed on a reduced end portion of the shaft 50 and is adapted to be pushed inwardly against thelever H9 by a bell crank lever |25 v which is fulcrumed as at |26, and is in turn actu' ated by a rod |21 which extends rearwardly and Iupwardly so as to be operatively associated at its upper end with the platen and lowering mechanisms.

When the rod |21 is not being pulled or actuated rearwardly under the influence of the platen and lowering mechanism, it reposes in a normally forward position, at which time the bell crank lever |25 exerts no inward pressure against the the pawl H5 is maintained in contact with one of the shoulders H4 of the cam rim H3 under the action of a spring |26 contained within a small chamber or cylinder |29. This spring is attached to the pawl H5 at one end while its other end is attached to a threaded bolt or bar |30 which is adjustably secured as by a nut |3|. The tension of this spring |26 is such that it will yieldably maintain operative contact as between the pawl and the shoulder H4 which it engages. However, it should be noted that the contact surfaces as between the end of the pawl and the shoulders are slightly angled with" respectf to a radialline passing through the point of contact so that should the resistance become excessive the pawl will ride over the cam shoulder to thus prevent any breakage of parts under abnormal operating conditions.

The purpose of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 9 and l0 is to momentarily stop the grid feeding and platen operatingvmechanism in connection with a certain mechanism for eliminating gaps as between the successive plates to be treated and to insure such plates being in edge to edge contact as they pass into the pasting devices. Thus it will be seen with particular reierence to Fig. '1 that when the shaft 50 stops, the

stripping mechanism operated by the connecting link |09 will also be idled. Similarly the cam HI which operates the lowering device and a cam |32 also mounted on the shaft 50 will cease to operate the platen tilting apparatus. 'I'he cam v IH, which is somewhat kidney shaped in form, travels or rotates under a roller |33 mounted in one end of a lever |34 fulcrumed in the carriage 69 as at |35, the opposite end of this lever being arranged to engage the roller |36 on an arm |31 of a shaft |38 which extends through the wall of the housing, and at its outer end has a lift arm |39 upon one end of which rests a rod |40 slidably mounted in suitable bearings and having a spring |4| for maintaining contact between the lower end of the rod and the lift arm |39.V The v upper end of the rod |40 engages under a roller |42 mounted in the one end of an arm |43 secure'd on a shaft |44, and which shaft also has a relatively longer arm |45 which is pivotally connected at 'its rear end as at |46 to the lowering device frame designated generallyby the number |41.

The cam |32 within the chamber 83 engages arroller |48 on an arm |49 of a shaft |50, which shaft is journaled in one side wall of the chamber, and at its outer end is provided with a crank arm |5| (see Figs. 1 and l-A), the upper end of which crank arm is pivoted as at |52 to a length adjustable connecting rod |53, the other or rear end of which is pivoted as at |54 -to thev platen block or frame. 'I'his block or frame includes the platen plate proper, designated as |55, from which extend two rigid arm portions |56 which members also constitute` bracket extensions that are secured to the carriage 69 by bolts |59. vThe members |51 are respectively fulcrumed by pins |60 which are trunnioned in the bracket members |50. It will thus be seen that when the bar |53 is reciprocated under the action of the cam |32 when the latter is rotating, the platennaiate |55 will be moved from the vertical position, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, to the substantially horizontal position as indicated in Figs. 1, 1A, 3, and 5, in which horizontal position thev platen is arranged to receive the successive grid plates as they are stripped from in under the stack of plates 94, and from thence carried to the vertical position as shown in Fig. '1, at which time such plates are in a position to be lowered into the pasting apparatus.

At the opposite sides of the platen the carriage frame is provided with a pair of guiding plates |6|, which plates are each provided in their inner sides with two arcuate channels |62 and |63, the purpose of which is to receive lug extensions |64 of the grid plates, which extensions or ears are invariably present in battery grid plates and are usually arranged in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, under which circumstances they would be engaged by the channels I62, although in some instances and for some types of plates it is desirable to have the lugs spaced inwardly from the corner of the plate, and under such circumstances they would be guided in the channels |63 of the guide plates |6|. -These channels, it may be noted with particular reference to Fig. 7, are somewhat narrower at their top ends than at their lower ends, the purpose being that they might more 4readily receive the grid plate ears and then more accurately guide them into the receiving position by the lowering device.y To facilitate the pressing of the grid plate ears into receiving contact with the lowering device it is also preferable to procated at |65 in Fig. 3, which ears will engage in 'the channels |82 and |63 immediately behind the grid plate extensions. In order that grids having their ears disposed further from the corner of the plate may engage in the curved channels |83, it is necessary to provide clearance at the lower ends of the plates |8l, and this clearance for the ears is indicated as at 66 in Fig. '1 and Fig. 9.

In order to insure proper placement of the grids on the platen after each grid leaves the stack and before the platen starts to move to its vertical position, I provide a friction shoe |61 for lightly engaging and bearing down upon the grid as it moves outwardlyV from in under the stack and is placed upon the platen. This shoe is preferably made of iiexible metal. and when in operative position is downwardly inclined as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. However, before the platen can be moved to its grid discharging position it is necessary for the shoe |61 to be removed from the path of travel, and for that reason I mount it upon a shaft |68 which is journaled in' lug extensions |69 of the guide plates |6|, and at one end this shaft |68 has an arm |10 connected by a link |1| to an arm |12 which connects with the platen frame member |51 on the side of the machine shown in Fig. 2. Consequently when the platen is moved up and down it will operate through the members |10, |1|, and |12, to clear the friction shoe during each movement and also to place the shoe back in operative position during the intervals when the stripped grid plates are being placed on the platen.

It may here be noted that the shaft |44 of the lowering device operating arm 45 is journaled in a bracket |13 which is rigid with respect to the main frame of the machine and does not move with the carriage unit 69. The lift rod |40, on the other hand, does reciprocate Vwith the carriage'unit, and therefore is horizontally movable with respect to the roller |42 of the arm |43. Consequently when the carriage is moved forwardly or to the left, as shown in Fig. 7, the roller |42 will disengage from the top of the lift rod and will naturally drop down a short distance under the gravitational action of the lowerator |41. Consequently, and to restore the roller |42 to its normal operative position when the carriage is again moved rearwardly or to the right, I provide the upper end of the rod with a wedge shaped lift arm |14 upon which the roller |42 may ride, both when moving down from and back up to the top of the lift rod. The lowering unit comprises a block |15 that is vertically movable upon a central post |16 rigidly secured behind a receiving plate |11 of the main frame. The block |15 has a pin 18 which slidably engages in slot |19 in the lower end portion of a rod |80 vwhich is pivoted to the arm as at the point |46. Thus when the arm |45 is lifted, the rod |80 will Aengage the pin |18 to lift the lowering unit, but when the arm |45 is lowered the lowering unit will of course be free to move downwardly with the grid plate under gravitational action.

Extending from the block |15 are two outwardly extending bars |8| which at their outer ends support a pairof guide blocks |82 which are vertically movable in recessed standards at the sides of the main frame. Each of these blocks |82 has a right angular projection |83 disposed in line with the upper end of the channel |62,

as shown in Fig. 9, but which may be moved so as to be in a receiving position with respect to the curved channel |53. Immediately under the extension |83 each block |02 is provided with a pivoted finger |84 yieldingly held in its upward position by a spring |85. The space between the members |83 and |84 is such that it will receive the adjacent ear of the grid plate when the latter is carried by the platen up to the vertical position, and when the platen then moves back to its receiving position the jaw formed by the members |83 and |84 will yieldably retain the grid plate ear |64 until the plate is moved down sumciently to become engaged by conveyor rollers, at which time such rollers will pull the plate down to release it from the two fingers |84.

The lowering unit will move downwardly in synchronism with the lever arm |45 as controlled by the cam which cam regulates the downward speed. Howeverthis is not a positive downward feed, and consequently should the plate being moved downwardly come in contact with the plate immediately below it before the last mentioned plate will. be cleared, then the pin and slot construction |18-|19 will of course permit the members |45 and |41 to move downwardly in synchronism with thecam movement, but will leave the lowering device suiciently suspended so that it may complete its movement under gravitational action and as fast as may be permitted by the movement of the preceding Vinterfering grid plate. As the grid plates move downwardly with the lowering unit they are first engaged by a pair of rollers |88 and |81, the rst of which is journaled in a stationarylug |88 and the second of which is mounted for rotation in a movable lug extension |89 of a frame |90. The roller |86 has a shaft |9| extending'to the outside of the frame work, and on its outer end is provided with a small pinion |92 as shown in Fig. 2, which pinion is connected in a train of power driven gears, with a result that the roller |86 is at all times positively driven. However, it is not so much the purpose of this roller to create a feeding action to the plate as it is to insure that the plate will not stop but continue the normal movement or speed which'it maintains when leaving the lowering device.

As the plates leave the rollers |86 and |81 they come in contact with a pair of feed rolls |93 and |94, and it is the purpose of these rolls to impart a positive feeding action to the downwardly moving grid plates and at a predetermined speed, as will presently be described. It may here be noted, however, that the peripheral speed of the rolls |93 and |94 is somewhat slower than the normal action of the feeding action of the platen and lowering device, and the purpose of this difference in speed is to enable me to employ to advantage a gap preventing mechanism which will now be described.

This mechanism includes the roller |81 and the frame |90, which frame is pivotally mounted as at |95 to the platen frame, and moves with it as the same is oscillated up and down. The upper end of the frame |90, as shown in Fig. 9, is spring held1 away from the platen plate proper by a spring |98, which spring tends to urge the frame |90 toward a stop bolt |91, and thus also tends to urge the roller |81 toward the roller |86. The frame |90 is further provided with a laterally extending stop arm |98 (see Figs. 3 and 9), which arm has lfor its purpose to contact under certain conditions with a lever arm ISB-extending down from a. shaft 200, which shaft is provided with and when this a second arm 20| in the lower end of which is mounted the bar |21. A pair of lock nuts 202 are secured upon the end of the shaft |21 whereby it may be adjusted with respect to the arm 20|, and a spring 203 is mounted on the bar 4|21 to maintain proper working engagement as between the members' 20|. and 202. The shaft 200, as shown in Fig. 4, ynot only serves to support the levers |99 and 20|, but also serves as a tie bar to rigidly connect the upper end of the guide plates |6|.

The operation of the gap closing construction may be briefly described as follows: When a plate is delivered vfrom the lowering device, as already stated lt becomes engaged between the rollers |93 and |94, and before the next succeeding plate can be delivered by the platen the plate first mentioned will probably reach the dotted line position shown immediately between the rollers |93 and |94. However, as the rollers |93 and -|94 have a slower feeding speed than the platen and lowering device, the result will obviously be that under normal voperation the platen and lowering device speeds-,will gradually catch up with the speed of the rollers.

'tion of the last plate engaged by the rollers will gradually be at a higher level until the time is reached when they will still be in contact between the rollers |86 and |81 when the next plate is -ready for delivery by the platen. If the preceding plate is belowthe rollers |86'|81 when the platen is raised to its vertical position, then the roller |81 will be moved to a position in physical contact with the roller |86, is done nothing will happen to the levers |99 and 20|, because the spring |96 will maintain the upper end of the frame |90 in constant contact with the stop bolt |81; and

as long as this condition is lmaintained the clutch shown in Fig. 10 will maintain driving contact between the gear 49 and the shaft 50 at all times. However,when the last delivered plate is so high that when the next upward movement of the platen is made, the roller |81, instead of reaching the roller |86, will contact with the grid plate intermediate the rollers, and thereupon will actuate the lever or frame |90 to mo-ve the upper end thereof away from the stop bolt |91, as shown in Fig. 9; and when this occurs the extension |98 will engage the lever arm |99 .and move it suciently so that the corresponding movement transmitted to the lever 20| willact against the lock nuts 202, and thus give a short pull on the rod |21; and this pull is suflicient to disengage the clutch and thus Stop the platen and feeding mechanism. However, as soon as the grid plate has moved downwardly out of contact with the rollers |86 and |81 the Yspring |96 will'ag'ain restore the frame |90 to its original position, whereupon the clutch will again engage to restore the platen and lowering device movements.

Thus it will be seen that the mechanism will positively insure the plates being fed into the pasting mechanism not only at a uniform speed but with edge to edge contact so that there will be no space between the successive grid plates.

The roller |93 has a shaft which is journaled in the main frame of the machine and at one end is provided with a sprocket pinion 204 driven by an idler gear 205. The pinion 204 in turn drives an idler pinion 206 which meshes with the pinion |92 so as to positively rotate the roller |86. The feed roller |94 ls also positively actuated, being driven from the pinion 204 by a pinion 201 meshing therewith. The pinion 201 f movement against cushioning springs 209, and

are adjustable by set screws 2|0 to regulate the spacing as between the rollers |93 and |94. The purpose of the springs 209 is of course to permit the plates to pass through between the rollers even though they may carry with them some obstruction or projection, and thereby prevent any damage to the rollers.

The idler gear 205 is driven by a gear 2|| mounted onthe'shaft extension of a feed belt roller 2|2, which roller is in turn actuated by the feed belt 2|3 which passes over a roller 2|4 and over a large roller 2|5 at the rear part of the machine, and which roller 2|5 has the shaft 34 which is rotated in the manner previously described.

The gear 2|| also meshes with and drives a gear 2|6 mounted on the shaft extension of a presser roller 2 |1 which cooperates with the paste belt 2| 3 at a point, opposite the roller 2|2. The shaft ends of the roller 2|1 are mounted in yieldable and adjustable supporting devices, one of which is shown in Fig. 2 and the other of which is indicated in Fig. 1 and by dotted lines in Fig. '7. These-devices each include a lever 2|8, mounted one each on the opposite ends of a shaft 2|9 which extends entirely through the carriage housing, as shown in Fig. 7. The lever 2|8 on the side of the machine shown in Fig. 2 is tiltably adjustable under the action of a pivoted rod 220 which extends through an oscillatible lug 22|, and its tiltable movement is controlled under the action of a nut 222 which is threaded on the bolt and operates a channeled collar 223 rotatable in the lug 22|. At the end opposite from the bar 220 each of the levers 2|8 is provided with a link 224 which supports abar 225, which bar is also slidably mounted in a bearing extension 226 of the lever 2|8. A spring 221 tends to push the bar rearwardly until it is stopped by an adjustable nut 228 contacting with the lug 226. The rear end of the bar 225 forms a Abearing for the shaft extension of the roller 2|1.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the springs 221 at the opposite sides of the machine will cause the roller 2|1 to be pressed toward the roller 2|5, but that the roller will be yieldable in substantially the same manner as roller |94 so that it can give under abnormal operating conditions. The purpose of the adjustment 220-223 is to provide means for vertically adjusting the roller 2|1 and without in any way interfering with the cushioning mechanism just referred to. The object in vertically vadjusting the roller 2|1 is to regulate the spacing between itself and a shoe 229 which exten-ds transversely through the machine in spaced relation with a cooperating shoe 230 which is disposed immediately below'the forward end of the belt 2|3, as shown in Fig. 7.

It may here be noted that the two shoes 229 and 230 are rigid with respect to the main frame of the machine, but that the rollers 2|1, |94, and |81 are all movable in conjunction with the carriage unit 69. This is also true with respect to. a roller 23| mounted below theshoe 229. An additio'nal roller 232 cooperating with the roller 23| is, like the rollers 2|2, |93, and |86, journaled in fixed relationship with respect to the main frame. The roller 23|, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, is yieldably supported as at 233, and is positively driven together with the roller 232 by gear pinions 234 and 235, respectively. The roller 232 is adjustably but not exibly mounted in movable bearing blocks 236 controlled by a pair of lock nuts 231 engaging a xed lug 238. The pinion 235 meshes with a pinion 239 which operates in unison with a pinion 24|), and both of these pinions 239 and 240 are mounted on a 'stub shaft 24|. The pinion 240 meshes with the gear 2|| and the purpose of the pinions 239 and 240 is to give proper direction to and to reduce the speed of the rollers 23| and 232.

It may here be noted that a pair of spaced guide plates 242 are arranged between the rollers IBS-|81 and the rollers |93.-|94, and that a similar pair of guide plates 243 are disposed below the last mentioned rollers; and these pairs of guide plates have for their obvious purpose to properly direct the grid plates down through the respective feed and paste applying rollers.

As the downwardly moving grid plates are discharged from in between the rollers 23| and 232 their outer lateral rim portions come into engagement with a pair of resistance units designated generally by the number 244, and one of which units as shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 8. These units each include an arm 245 pivotally secured to the main frame as at 246 so that their opposite ends may be swung outwardly with respect to the frame. mally rigidly secured to the frame by bolts 241 when the machine is in operation. At their for- Ward ends the arms 245 are each provided with a fixed guide flange 248 and a yieldable guide flange 249, between which flanges is defined a narrow, vertical opening through which the Inarginal portions of the grid plates move. The flange 249 is supported at the inner end of a lever 25|) which is pivoted to the arm 245 as at 25|. bolt 252 extends through the lever 250 to which it is adjustably secured as by nuts 253, and this bolt 252 is constantly under the tension of a spring 254 which connects the bolt to a portion of the arm 245, and this spring 254 has for its purpose to yieldably press the flange 249 toward the ange 248.

However, the members 245 and 250 are provided with stops 255 to limit this clamping tendency, and consequently the flanges 248 and 249 at no time come in physical contact with each other. The opening between the flanges is slightly tapered at its upper end so as to properly receive the downwardly moving grid plates.

As the successive plates are pressed downward ly through the units 244 they are delivered to a conveyor comprising a pair of chains 256 betweenv which the grid plates may drop, but upon which the projecting lugs |64 of the grid plates will stop and ride along on these conveyor chains. The purpose of the units 244 vis to retard the drop of the grid plates as they pass from the rollers 23|-232 to the conveyor chains so that the delivery to the chains will not be made under such conditions as may possibly injure the plates.

It has been stated that the flanges 248-249 are designed to engage the side rim portions of the plates, but it may here be noted that it may be suicient to so arrange the units 244 so that they will engage only the projecting lugs |64 of the grid plates. In this event the devices 244 will additionally serve to straighten out the grid plates should one side drop from rollers 23|- 232 However, these arms 245 are nor' slightly in advance of the other side. Under such circumstances the grid plate lug ill-st dropped will be held suspended between the flanges 248-249 until the opposite plate lug has dropped into engagement with the other device 244. When the next grid plate then moves down it will engage the plate in parallel edge to edge contact so that it will pass or be pushed down properly to the conveyor 256.

Disposed at a level immediately below the units 244 and one at each side of the machine, are a pair of pipes 251 provided with valves 258 and terminating at their ends immediately below the flanges 248-249 in nozzles 259. The purpose of the pipes 251 is to conduct steam, air or other fluid under pressure to the nozzles 259, and these nozzles are so arranged that they will project a stream of air, steam, or other iluid against the outer edge extremities of the grid plates as they pass from the units 244 to the conveyor chain 256 to thereby clean such outer edges of the grid plates and remove the paste that may be adhering to these edges as the plates leave the pasting machine. This method is found to be highly preferable to brushes or other mechanical devices forperforming this function inasmuch as such brushes or devices will invariably become clogged up with the paste and require frequent cleaning. The uid pressure from the nozzles 259 may of course be controlled or entirely shut oi by the valves 258 as circumstances may require.

Attention is now directed to the paste receptacle and paste applying mechanism as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. The receptacle proper includes two side walls 260 integrally connected by a rear wall 26|, and these three walls are provided at their upper edges with integral, ared flanges 262. The front wall 263 of the receptacle is mounted for slight vertical movement with respect to the side walls in conjunction with a paste feed roller 264. 'Ihis feed roller is mounted on a shaft 265 which extends through a pair of slots 266 in the side walls 260, and is journaled at its ends in a. pair of irregularly shaped levers 261 and 268, which levers are rigidly secured at their rear ends to a sleeve 269, which sleeve is trunnioned in a pair of rearwardly flanged extensions 210 of the receptacle wall 26|. The levers 261 and 268 are provided with integral disc portions 21| which bear against the side walls 260 to prevent the paste material from leaking out through the slots 266. 'I'he upper end of the front wall 263 has a shaft 212 extending through and rigidly attached to the front wall. 'I'his shaft 212 extends through slots 213 in the side walls 260, and is journaled at its ends in the upper forward extremities of the levers 261 and 266.

'I'he lower end of the front wall 263 is provided with lugs 214 (see Fig. 3), which lugs stop against the inner tapered ends of bolts 215, and by shimming the heads of these bolts as at 216 it will be seen that slight adjustments may be made between the lower end of the wall 263 and the roller 264. The purpose of this adjustment is to regulate the position of a plate 211 which is se? cured as at 218 to the lower end of the wall with respect to the roller 264. As seen in Fig. 6, this plate 211 has an arcuate inner edge which appears to be in contact with the roller 264, but which in fact is preferably very slightly spaced from the roller so that it will not have frictional engagement however, is so close to the roller that it will remove all the paste therefrom as the roller rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figs.

therewith. 'I'he edge of the plate,

' adjacent belt portion and 6. It will also be noted that the inner end of the plate 211 is provided with a shoulder 219 which is spaced slightly from the belt or carrier 2|3, and it is the purpose of this shoulder to regulate the thickness of the paste film which is to be carried down with the belt and to the grid izil'a'tes as they pass between vthe rollers 2|2 and The upper end of theI wall 263 is provided with a pair of lugs 280 between which is pivoted, as at 28|, a rod 282 which extends up into a yoke 283 mounted upon the forward, upper edges of the paste receptacle. This yoke contains a spring 284 which tends at all times to hold the rod 282 downwardly. The rod 282 has a flange or washer 285 which extends under a finger 286 of an electric switch 281 which controls the circuit through wires 288 connected with the power line of the motor 25. This switch will of course be closed at all times as long as the rod 282 is in its downward position. However, should the rod be raised against the tension of theV spring 284, as would happen for instance when some object which had 'become mixed' in the paste would come in contact with the roller 264, or with the plate 211, as such an object might readily cause serious damage if not removed before it could reach the paste applying rolls, it is essential that the machine be stopped immediately before the object can reach the rolls; and this contingency is provided for by the above described arrangement.

The shaft 265 of the roller 264 is provided at one end with a sprocket gear 289, which gear is driven by a sprocket chain 290 which also passes over a sprocket gear 29|l on a shaft 292 which is journaled in the sleeve 269. the shaft 292 has a gear 293 meshing with a gear 294 on a shaft 295 which is also journaled in the extensions 210 of the receptacle Wall 26|. The y shaft 295 is in turn driven from the shaft 34 by sprocket gears 296, sprocket chains 291, and sprocket gear 298.

It may here be noted that the sprocket chain 290 passes over an idler sprocket 299, whichA sprocket is preferably adjustable on the arm 261 so that it may be employed to take up slack in or loosen the chain 290. The shaft 292 is further provided with a sprocket gear and chain connection 300 for driving a shaft 30| which is also journaled at its ends in the arms 261 and 268, and passes through slots similar to 266 in the side walls of the receptacle so as to permit slight vertical oscillation of the frame arms. shaft 30| is provided adjacent the inner faces of the receptacle side walls 260 with disc like members 302 so as to prevent leakage of paste outwardly through these slots.

Intermediate the discs 302 the shaft 30| is provided with a curved feed blade 303, and` it is the purpose of this blade when rotated in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Fig. 5, to constantly keep urging the paste material into the tapering space between the roller 264 and the 2|3, thus insuring that there will always be a sufficient and proper flow of paste into this recess.

The shaft 292 also operates still another mechanism within the paste receptacle, and this is a pair of blades or arms 304 which are mounted on a shaft 305 and have a vertical oscillating movement immediately adjacent to the inner surfaces of the walls 260 so as to prevent the paste from clinging or adhering to these surfaces and to thus insure the proper movement of the paste mass downwardly to the feed belt after the l shaft 44, and at the rear end At its other end Thisy receptacle has been supplied from time to time with the paste material which is dumped into the open top of the receptacle. The shaft 305 is provided at one of its ends with a rocker arm 306 connected by a pitman 301 to an eccentric pin 308 carried on a small disc 309 at the corresponding end of the shaft 295. 'Ihus the rotary motion of the shaft 295 will be converted to an oscillating movement in the blades 304.

The roller 2|5 of the feed belt 2|3 is mounted on the driven shaft 234, and in order that this shaft may be adjusted to thereby tighten or loosen the belt 2| 3 the ends of the shaft are journaled in bearing blocks 3|0 which areslidable with respect to the side walls of the machine, and are connected for simultaneous adjustment by a beam 3| I, which beam, at a point intermediate its ends and between the upper and lower runs of the paste belt 2 I3, is provided with a threaded bar 3|2 which screws into a member 3|3. This member is rotatably xed in a bearing beam 3|4 and is provided with worm gear teeth 3|5 meshing with a worm 3|6, which worm terminates in a squared head at one side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2, so that it may be engaged by a wrench and turned to thus rotate quired adjustment to the paste belt 2|3.` It may be noted that while the belt 2|3 may be made of any suitable material I prefer to use a heavy woven fabric for this purpose.

The carrier chains A256 which receive the pasted grid plates from the units 244 are mounted on a pair of sprocket gears 3|1 carried by .the driven of the machine these chains 256 pass over pinions 3|8 secured on Stub shafts 3| 9, which stub shafts are sufficiently short so as to permit the body portions of. the grid plates to pass between them. As the plates riding upon the chains 256 pass over the centers of the pulleys 3|8 they are guided by thin, laterally arranged guide plates 320 so that the ears or lugs |64 of the plates will drop down upon the forward ends of a pair of levers 32| which are respectively pivoted as at 322 to bracket extensions 323 of theV main frame 2|, as indicated in Fig. 11.

. Springs 324 are arranged to hold the Aforward ends of the levers 32| up in operative position against stop pins 325. The lower ends of the levers 32| are provided with hooks 326 for releasably engaging pins 321 fixed in arms 328 extendingforwardly from a shaft 329 also journaled. in. the bracket 323. The arms 328 are shown as bifurcated at their forward ends with the depending portions of the levers 32| operating between the forward portions of the arms, The arms 328 are keyed to the shaft 329 and are yieldingly held upwardly by a spring 330. As the levers 32| are independently mounted they are of course independently actuated, and not necessarily at the same time by the grid lugs |64. However, the arms'328 being both keyed to the shaft 329, must operate simultaneously; and consequently they cannot drop or be lowered against the tension of the spring 330 and under the weight of the grid plate until the latch levers 32| at opposite sides of the machine have both been released. The purpose of this arrangement isV the member 3|3, and consequently give the repassing through the reroll mechanism and also to the conveyor belt to which they are subsequently delivered.

As the plates are delivered downwardly by the arms 328 they come into contact with a pair of reroll belts 33| and 332. The first of these belts passes over a roller 333 carried by the driven shaft 65, and also passes over a pair of relatively smaller rollers 334 and 335, and between these two rollers 334-and 335 is disposed a shoe 336 which projects slightly beyond the rollers and has a curved face over which the apron 33| will travel. This shoe has a chamber 331 supplied by a conduit 338, and the chamber 331 in turn communi Cates with the apron contacting face of the shoe through a series of perforations 339. The tension of the apron or belt 33| may be controlled by turning a worm screw 348, which in turn meshes with and drives a worm gear 34|, which gear is rotatably mounted in a cross beam 342, and is internally threaded to receive a threaded bar 343 which in turn operates a bearing block 344 in which the shaft 65 of the roller 333 is mounted. The apron or belt 332 passes over a roller 345 mounted on the driven shaft 6|, and this apron also passes over rollers and a shoe and includes an adjusting mechanism similar to that which has been described in connection with the apron 33|; and consequently the corresponding parts are similarly designated.

The conduit 338 is controlled by a valve 346, and it is the purpose of this vconduit to transmit hot air or steam to the grid contacting areas of the belts 33| and 332; and by blowing or forcing hot air or steam through the belts at this point,

4'I eliminate all possibility of having the paste carried by the grids adhere to the belts, and thus permit the belt surfaces to serve their proper and sole function of giving or imparting to the grid plates a complete finishing treatment.

The reroll mechanismwhich includes the belt 33| may be designated generally bythe numeral 341, and this unit remains in a fixed position with respect to the main frame 28 of the machine.

The reroll mechanism which includes the belt 332, may'be designated generally by the numeral 348, and this unit is mounted for yieldable movement with respect to the unit 341 in the following manner:

The unit includes a frame 349 in which the rollers and other parts are mounted, and the frame 349 is in turn movably supported upon the frame extension 23 by a pair of links 356 and 35| at one side of the machine' and by a link 352 at the other side of the machine. 'I'he links 350 and 35| are pivotally secured to the extension 23 as at 353, while their upper ends are pivotally secured to the frame 349 as at 354. The

link 352 is similarly pivoted at the other side of4 the machine to the members 23 and 349, and moves in parallelism with the links 350 and 35|.

The unit 348 is yieldingly pressed toward the unit 341 by a spring 355 which connects an upper extension of the link 35| with the main frame of the machine. It is not desired, however, to at any time have the units so close together that the belts 33| and 332 will have physical contact with each other, and consequently I provide an adjustable stop screw 356 for contacting with the link 35| and this screw may be adjusted to control the spacing as between the two reroll belts. It

may here be noted that the roller 335a of the unit operates through a sprocket chain 358 and a sprocket gear 359 to rotate a feed roller 368 journaled in the frame extension.

Cooperating with the roller 360 Vis a roller 36| mounted in a lever 362 which fulcrums as at 363 and is actuated by a spring 364 to press the roller 36| toward the roller 380. The rollers 360 and 36|, as shown in Fig. 13, are comparatively narrow, and it is,only intended that they should engage the comparatively heavy bar portion that runs down centrally through a grid plate of the double unit type, as indicated in Fig. 3. It may here also be observed that the roller 360 is connected to the sprocket pinion 359 by a shaft 365 which is journaled in a projecting arm 366 of the frame extension 23. As the grid plates leave the reroll belts 33| and 332 they are further guided, and particularly before they enter between the rollers 360 and 36|, by upstanding pairs of guide arms 361 which are spaced so as to receive the grids'as indicated in Figs. 11, 12 and 13.

As the grid plates leave the reroll mechanism and are delivered to the conveyor below, it is necessary, however, to provide further means for controlling their movements and particularly to prevent any possibility of transverse tilting of the plate and to maintain it in proper vertical alignment so that it will pass properly down into the conveyor; and to this end I have provided a control mechanism which includes a pair of levers 368 which are pivoted as at 369 to bracket arms 310, and are further provided with link connections 31| which connect with levers 312 also fulcrumed to the bracket 318. The forward ends of the levers 312 are yieldably held down against adjustable set screws 313 by springs 314, which springs will thus serve to yieldably hold up the rear or inwardly bent ends of the levers 369. 'I'hese inwardly bent ends, as shown particularly in Figs. 13 and 14, are so arranged that they will engage under the grid lugs |64; but as the grids are pulled down by the roller 360 the lever arms 368 will of course yield downwardly until the lugs are entirely disengaged, whereupon the spring 314 will again raise the levers 368 to their normal receiving position.

The bracket arms310 are adjustable vertically in conjunction with the vertical adjustment, presently to be described, for the forward end of the conveyor unit which receives the grid plates from the reroll mechanism.` This conveyor unit includes a pair of chains 315 which pass over forward sprocket gears- 318 and over relatively smaller sprocket gears 311 at the rear end of the frame extension 23. The sprocket gears 316 are secured on a shaft 318 which is journaled in a sleeve 319 formed integrally with a block 380 mounted for vertical adjustment inthecrossbeam 22. The block 380 is raised and lowered by an arm 38| secured on a shaft 382, and the end of which shaft is squared as at 383 so that a socket wrench may be applied thereto. After the adjustment has been made the block 380 is firmly secured in place by a clamping shaft 384 which` extends through a portion of the block 380, and is threaded into an adjacent portion of the cross beam 22 so that when a wrench is applied to the square end 385 of this bar,` a shoulder 386 will firmly clamp the block 380 between itself and the adjacent portion of the cross beamv 22. This bar 384 must' of course be loosened before the lift arm 38| may be moved either up or down.

The shaft 318 is provided at one end with a spur gear 381 which meshes with a gear 388 on the inner end of the shaft 58, which shaft,

through the worm gear 51, receives power from the worn 56 as previously described.

It may be noted that the vertical movement of the block 386 will slightly change the distance between the centers'of the gears 361 and 388, but this change is so slight that it will not interfere with the proper intermeshing and driving connections established by these gears. It may here alsobe noted that the primary purpose of this adjustment is to provide proper clearance for the tops of the grid plates as they travel along on the upper run of the chains 315 when grid plates are being pasted that have the lugs |64 spaced from the upper corners of the grid plates; for under such circumstances the plates will revquire greater spacing as between the conveyor 315 and the reroll unit 348. The conveyor chains 315 travel at a comparatively low rate of speed, and consequently the plates will be delivered to this conveyor in comparatively close proximity to each other, as indicated in Figs. and l1. As the plates are successively placed upon the conveyor chains 315 they are carried rearwardly towardand between the sprocket pinions 311, and as they reach this extremity of the conveyor unit ythe grid lugs come in contact with the peripheries of a pair of thin metal plates 389, which plates are mounted on stub shafts 390 journaled in' the frame extensions 23; and each of these stub shafts 390 receives motion from the stub shaft 39| of the pinions 311 through a train of speed increasing gears 392; which gears are substantially enclosed within chambered out portions of the frame extension. members 23. Thus the disc plates 389, traveling at a comparatively greater rate of speed, will successively remove the grids from the conveyor chains 315 and thus deliver them from the machine. As indicated in Fig. 15, there is full clearance between the plates 389 for the main body portions of -the grid plates; and as the grid plates are discharged from the plates 389 .`they may be either manually taken from the machine and stacked up or they may be received by still another conveyor (not shown) for delivery to another location where the plates are to be further treated or made use of for commercial A purposes. o

While the operation of the machine will no doubt be understood from theforegoing description, a brief rsum may be made as follows:

Assuming that a stack of grid plates has been placed between the holders 93 and that the paste chamber is sufficiently supplied with material, the

motor 25 is started and operates-through the various driving mechanisms that have already been described, to set the various parts in motion. The stripper plate 95 is reciprocated back and forth by the cam and lever mechanism to 'successively remove the plates from the bottom of the stack and advance them, one at a time, to the platen |55 where they are engaged by the retarder or spring arm |61. This member has for its purpose to hold the plates in place and to prevent them from being moved too far rearwardly so Vas to injure the projecting grid plate lugs, or ycausethem to go beyond the point where they may be properly started up through either one of the pair of channels |62 or |63.` As soon as they are properly placed upon the platen |55, the latter oscillates or moves upwardly to the vertical position, placing the lugs of the grid plates in the jaws |8'3-I84 of the lowering device. Upon being so received, the lowering device moves downwardly while the platen is being returned to its initial -position to receive another plate from the stripper mechanism. The plates then travel down between the rollers |86-|81, the guide plates 242, and into the primary feed. rolls |93 and |94, always of course maintaining theirproper alignment with respect to each other.- The primary feed rolls-'then move the grid plates successively down between the guide plates 243 and into the pasting mechanism.

It is essential that the plates move into and through the pasting unit in close proximity to each other, and for this reason the feed and pasting rolls travel at a slightly lower rate of speed than the feeding speed of the stripper, platen, and lowering units. Consequently when the vertical series of plates passing into the past- .ing rollers builds up to a certain point, the last of such series will remain engaged by the yrollers |86 and |81, and when this occurs the position of the roller |81 will operate through the mechanism shown in Figs. 9 and 10 to stop the stripper,v

platen, and lowering devicemomentarily, or until the last of such plates passes through and entirely out of contact with the roller |81, at which time the ilrst mentioned feeding devices will be again put in action. Thus it will be seen that there will be no gaps of any consequence between any twoV grids passing down into the pasting mechanism, and that they will at all times retain proper feeding alignment with respect to each other.

As the grid plates travel through between the guide bars or plates 243 they come into contact with the feed belt 2 |3 and the compression roller 2|1 which operates in conjunction with the feed belt roller 2|2. The llm or layer of paste is applied to the grid plates at this point, and isv mechanism 303. The oscillating scraper arms `304 are not essentially paste feeding devices except insofar as they tend to prevent the paste mass from sticking to the side walls of the receptacle. The roller 264 operates in a clockwise direction, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and in doing so cooperateswith the belt action to reduce the paste bulk into a relatively thin layer of material. The device 303, while having some agitating effect on the paste, is primarily intended to merely urge the paste into the tapered recess formed by the belt and the roller 264.

The plate 211 (see Fig. 6) is mounted for very slight contact with the roller 264, and has for its purposes, first, to separate the paste film from the-roller so that it will not -be carried back into the paste receptacle, and'second by virtue of the shoulder 2.19 to further limit and define the exact' desired thickness of the paste film before it is carried down over the inclined surface of thebelt to the rollers 2 |2-2|1.

Should any-object other than paste by any chance find its way into the paste receptacle, it will, if suiciently large to do any damage, find its way into the space betweeny the roller 264r and belt 2|3, and when this occurs the roller, as well as the plate 211, will be lifted as provided for by the movability of the arms 261 and 268, and this movement will be carried through the front wall 263 of the receptacle and through the bolt 282 to the member 285 which will, by lifting the switch arm 286, break the switch 281 and thus open the circuit 288 to the motor 25, and consequently immediately stop the motor and the running of all parts of the machine. It may 'at this time also be noted that the various mechanisms which operate through the device shown in Figs. 9 and 10 will also function through the drive release action of the members ||4 and ||5 to shut off the grid plate feeding devices should any jam occur in this part of the machine.

Y With respect to the paste feeding mechanism, it may here also be noted that provision is made for readily removing and replacing the feed belt 2|3 should it become Worn or injured to the extent that replacement should be required. To this end I have mounted the belt rollers 2|2, 2 |4, and the beam 3| I of the shaft 34 in a carriage 393 which is longitudinally vslidable in the main frame 20 of the machine, and is preferably gibbed in the manner that the carriage 69 is shown to be gibbed to the main frame 20 in Fig. 2A. When the carriage 393 has been placed in operative position I extend through it a removable cross bar 394, and this cross barl is arranged to contact Within the carriage with the cross beam 3|4. One end of the cross bar is pivotally secured to the main frame of the machine, as shown at 395 in Fig. 1, while at its other end, as shown in Fig. 2, the cross bar contacts with a set screw 396, and by adjusting this setscrew the carriage 393 may be slightly moved so as to adjust the feeding end of the belt 2|3 with respect to the other relatively fixed parts of the machine. It will thus be seen that when it is desired to replace or repair the belt 2| 3 it is only necessary to remove the cross bar 394, and the drive chain 291, whereupon the belt supporting structure may be removed as a unit, and after necessary repairs or adjustments have been made, may be replaced in a like manner... Y

The roller 2|1 cooperates with the roller 2|2 to firmly press the paste into the grid plates from both sides, and while the roller 2|'| is mounted for slight flexing action under the resistance of the spring 221 it maintains a normally fixed position; and this position may be adjusted without interfering with the spring arrangement by turning the nut 222 which will operate through the rod 220 and lever 2|8 to give the desired adjustment.

As the paste supplied plates travel down between the shoes 229 and 230, any excess amount of paste that passes the roller 2|`| will tend to accumulate on the shoe 229, and if not carried down between the shoes will ordinarily pass between the shoe 229 and roller 2 |1, and drop upon the roller 23|, or over this roller, so as to pass down upon thehopper plate 81. The rollers 23| and 232 have for their object to wipe oft' any excess amount of paste thatmay still be adhering to the plates, and this they do by virtue of the slow, rubbing action whichV they produce on the plates. In other Words, while these rollers operate in the same direction of travel thatthe plates have, they rotate at a very much lower rate of speed, and consequently will have the relative rubbing effect referred to.

As the plates leave the rollers 23 |-232 they are engaged by the retarder units 244, the purposes of which are to prevent the grid plates from dropping down too abruptly to the carrier chains 256, and to straighten out any plates which may not have been properly discharged from the rollers 23|-232. As the plates travel this part of their total course they are treated by the action of jets of steam or air projected by the nozzles 259, and as controlled by the' valves 258,. 'Ihe nozzles 259 are so arranged that they will project the jet of air or steam against the outer vertical edges of the grid plates, and by doing so will remove any particles of paste that may be adhering to these edges. The plates are now carried by the conveyor 256, as shown in Fig. 5, to the reroll mechanism, and as they reach the end of the conveyor they are successively received by the latch members 32|, and as soon as both of these latch members are engaged to thus insure proper position of the plate it is let down by the arms 328 into the reroll unit. 'I'his unit, as has already been set forth in detail, includes a pair of cooperating belts 33| and 332 which, at their plate engaging areas of contact travel over a pair of opposed shoes 336, and have sliding frictional contact with these shoes. The shoes are provided with chambers 331 which communicate with the belt contacting surfaces of the shoes through a plurality of perforations 339; and it is the object of these perforations to transmit steam or air supplied under pressure by the pipe 338 to the belts 33| and 332 at their points of /contact with the grid plates; and it is the purpose of this provision to prevent the paste from adhering to the belts, particularly at this point, and which would or might otherwise occur, thus not only damaging the grid plate unit as such, but also interfering with the efficiency of the belt surface. It is found that by moving the belts over a perforated surface so as to thus receive duid treatment, that the pressure set up by the uid, be it air or steam, prevents any possibility of a vacuum or partial vacuum to thus attract the paste to the belt; and also, by so treating the belt leaves it in such a condition that it will not have a surface that the paste will tend to stick to.

' Itmayhere be noted that these belts 33| and 332 are preferably made of a heavy canvas or fabric material that has a noticeablyrough or checked surface so that as it engages the exposed paste surface of the grid plates it will correspondingly roughen or corrugate such surface and thereby increase the effective exposed surface to correspondingly render the grid plate more efficient when it is ultimately placed in a battery.

After the plates have been subjected to the rerolling treatment they pass downwardly between the guide arms 361 to the conveyor 315, and while so passing are arranged and maintained in proper position by the members 368-314, which cooperate to at all times maintain proper position o1' each plate as it leaves the reroll mechanism and is deposited upon the chains 315. As the plates are now carried rearwardly to the extreme end of the machine they are engaged by the peripherles of the thin disc plates 389 from which they may be transmitted to still another conveyor or be stacked up and carried away until they are to be used.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope ofv the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. Iny a grid pasting machine, porting the grids in substantially horizontal positions. means for applying Paste to the grids, primeans for supmary and secondary conveying mechanisms for successively engaging the grids to tilt them yinto vertical positions and then advance them downwardly into applying means, means for driving said conveying mechanisms at different rates of grid advancing speeds, said mechanisms each having means for positively engaging the grids so that the grids will travel at the conveying speeds of the respective mechanisms while thereby engaged, and means for intermittently disconnectving the driving means of the faster operated conveying mechanism so that its effectual grid advancing speed will correspond to that of the slower operated mechanism.

2'. In a grid pasting machine, means for applying paste to the grids, primary and secondary conveying mechanisms for successively engaging the grids to advance them to the applying means, said mechanisms each having means for positively engaging the grids so that the grids will travel at the conveying speeds of the respective mechanisms while thereby engaged, means for operating the primary conveying mechanism at a higher rate of speed than the secondary mechanism, and means, responsive to theposition of a grid engaged in the secondary conveying mechanism, for disconnecting the operating means and thereby interrupting the normal speed oi' the primary conveying mechanism, said primary conveying means comprising a stack stripper, an oscillatable platen and a vertical carrier; and said secondary conveying mechanism comprising horizontally spacedrollers deilning a vertical passagewaytherebetween for the grids.

3. In a grid pasting machine, means for applying paste to the grids while disposed in a vertical passageway, primary and secondary conveying mechanisms for successively engaging the grids to advance them into and downwardly through the passageway to the applying means, said mechanisms each having means for positively engaging the grids so that the grids will be supported and travel at the conveying speeds of the respective mechanisms while thereby engaged, means for operating the primary conveying mechanism at a higher rate of speed than the secondary mechanism, and means, actuable by the last of a series of grids passing from primary to secondary conveying mechanisms, for intermittently disconnecting the operating means and interrupting the relatively faster primary conveying mechanism speed and thereby retarding the grid conveyingcapacity thereof.

4. In a grid pasting machine, means for applying paste to the grids, primary and secondary conveying mechanisms for successively engaging the grids'to advance themdownwardly through a vertical passageway to the applying means, said mechanisms each having means for positively engaging the grids so that the grids will travel at the conveying speeds of the respective mechanisms while thereby engaged, means for actuating the .primary conveying mechanism at a higher rate of speed than the secondary mechanism, and means, responsive to the position of a grid engaged in the secondary conveying mechanism, for intermittently rendering inoperative Ithe actuating means of the primary mechanism, said secondary conveying mechanism comprising a pairof horizontally spaced power driven rollers, and a pair of spaced guide bars adjacent the rollers and'. cooperating therewith to form the grid eway.

5. In a grid pasting machine,l means for applying paste to the grids, primary and' secondary feeding mechanisms for conveying grids to the applying means, said primary means including an oscillatable platen for converting the grids from substantially horizontal to substantially vertical position, and a lowering device for actuatingv the grids while in substantially vertical position down into the secondary feeding mechanism.

6. In a grid pasting machine, a pasting device, means for supporting a stack of unpasted grids, a platen mounted for oscillation between substantially horizontal and vertical positions, means for transferring a,grid from the stack to the platen when the latter is in its substantially horizontal position, and means for removing the grid from the platen. when the latter is in its substantially vertical position and for actuating said removed grid down into the pasting device.

7. In a grid pasting machine, a pasting device, means for supporting a stack of unpasted grids, a platen mounted for oscillation between substantially horizontal and vertical positions, means for transferring a grid from the stack to the platen when the latter is in its substantially horizontal position, friction means for controlling the movement of the grid being received on the platen, and means for receiving the grid from the platen, when the latter is raised, and delivering the grid to the pasting device.

8. In a grid pasting machine, a pasting device, means for supporting a stack of unpasted grids, a platen mounted for oscillation between substantially horizontal and vertical positions, means for transferring a grid from the Astack to the platen when theV latter is in its substantially horizontal position, means for engaging the grid to guide it to proper vertical feeding position as the platen is raised, and means for receiving thev grid when in.- such vertical position and conveying it to the pasting device.

9. In a power operated grid pasting machine, means for feeding a series of grids through a paste y applying zone, a paste receptacle having its botpaste and apply it to vertical faces of the gridsA at a point removed from the paste body in the receptacle, and means, other than gravity, for

urging the .paste in the receptacle into contact with the belt surface.

11. In a pasting machine, a paste receptacle, a conveyor unit mounted under the receptacle and comprising a frame, rollers mounted in the frame, and an endless belt carried by said rollers, said belt having its upper run extending through the bottom of the receptacle and forming a support for the paste material therein, and means for releasably securing said frame in the machine so that said unit may be bodily removed from -normal voperating position and thereby facilitate replacement or repair of the belt.

l2. A mechanism for rerolling pasted grids comprising a pair of roller mounted power driven belts, a pair of parallel shoes extending transversely of and within the respective belts, said shoes having opposed rounded portions over which the belts pass and between which portions the grids are engaged by the belts to produce the rerolling action, said shoes having openings for the discharge of fluid to the belts as the belts pass the zones of contact as between the belts and the opposite grid surfaces.

13. In a machine of the character described, a grid plate treating device, a conveyor for conveying the plates in a horizontal direction to a delivery position above the treating device, means for receiving the plates from the conveyor and releasing them to the treating device, said receiving and releasing means comprising a pair of members engageable with opposite sides of the grid plates and simultaneously movable downwardly to maintain proper feeding position of the plates as theyI pass to the treating device, means for yieldably holding the pair of members raised, and grid plate actuated devices, one at each side of the conveyor, for releasably securing the pair of members in raised position.

14. In a grid pasting machine, means for supporting a stack of grids, an oscillatable platen adjacent the lower end of said supporting means, means for successively stripping the grids from the bottom of the stack and placing themupon the platen when the latter is in a substantially horizontal position, a pasting mechanism, and means for successively removing the grids from the platen, when the latter is in a raised position, and delivering the grids to the pasting mechanism.

15. In a grid pasting machine, means for supporting a stack of grids, an oscillatable platen adjacent the lower end of said supporting means, means for successively removing the grids from the stack and placing them upon the platen when the latter is in a substantially horizontal position, a pasting mechanism, and means for successively removing the grids from the platen, when the latter is in a raised position, and delivering the grids to the pasting mechanism.

16. In a grid pasting machine, a support and vertical guides for a stack of grids, a platen adjacent the support and oscillatable between lower, receiving, and upper discharging positions, a reciprocating stripper device for engaging the lower end of the grid stack to successively remove the grids therefrom and place them on the platen when the latter is in its receiving position, a pasting device, andl means for directing the grids discharged from the platen, when the latter is in its upper position, to the pasting mechanism.

17. In a grid pasting machine, a support and vertical guides for a stack of grids, a platen adjacent the support and oscillatable between lower, receiving, and upper discharging positions,

`a reciprocating stripper device for engaging the lower end of the grid stack to successively remove the grids therefrom and place them on the platen when the latter is in its receiving position, a pasting device, and means for directing the grids discharged from the platen, when the latter is in its upper position, to the pasting mechanism, said guides being recessed at their lower ends to permit the passage therethrough of grids to the platen. y

18. In a grid pasting machine, a support and vertical guides for a stack of grids, a platen adjacent the support and oscillatable between lower, receiving, and upper discharging positions. a reciprocating stripper device for engaging the lower end of the grid stack to successively remove the grids therefrom and place them on the platen when the latter is in its receiving position, a friction member forengaging the grids as they are moved by the stripper device onto the platen, a pastingdevice, and means for directing the grids discharged from the platen, when the latter is in its upper position, to the pasting mechanism.

19. In a grid pasting machine, an oscillatable platen movable from a substantially horizontal grid receiving position to a substantially vertical grid discharging position, a pasting mechanism for receiving and applying paste to the grids as they are successively discharged from the platenI and means for intermittently supplying grids to the platen.

20. In a grid pasting machine, an oscillatable platen movable from a substantially horizontal grid receiving position to a substantially vertical grid discharging position, a pasting mechanism for receiving and applying paste to the grids as they are successively discharged from the platen, and arcuate guides disposed laterally with respect to the platen for positioning the grids thereon as the platen is moved fromhorizontal to vertical position.

21. In a grid pasting machine, an oscillatable platen movable from a substantially horizontal grid receiving position to a substantially vertical grid discharging position, a pasting mechanism disposed below the platen, and a lowering mechanism for receiving the grids as they are discharged from the platen and for directing them downwardly into the pasting machine.

22. In a grid pasting machine, an oscillatable platen movable from a substantially horizontal grid receiving position to a substantially vertical grid discharging position, a pastingmechanism disposed below the platen, and a lowering mechanism for receiving the grids as they are discharged from the platen and for direzing them downwardly into the pasting machine, said lowering mechanism including a vertically recipro-l eating carrier having releasable grips for engaging portions of the platen discharged grids.

23. In a grid pasting machine, a pasting device, means for feeding grids to the pasting device at a predetermined rate of speed, an oscillatable grid i carrier for supplying grids to the feeding means,

a roller carried by and oscillatably movable with the carrier for movement into-and out of the path of grid-travel, said roller being disposed in the path of grid travel when the carrier is in its discharging position, and operative connection between the roller and the power mechanism for the carrier to control the frequency of carrier oscillations and thereby the grid feeding speed of vthe carrier to the feeding means.

24. In a grid pasting machine, a pasting device, power actuated means for feeding grids vertically to the pasting device, a power actuated Oscillatable platen for receiving grids in a substantially horizontal position and tilting them to the vertical for transfer to the feeding means, a roller carried by the platen and movable therewith for'* traversing the path of vertical grid travel and means responsive to grid contact with the roller for discontinuing the normal grid feeding action of the platen during the period of grid contact by said roller.

25. In a grid pasting machine, a pasting de,- vice, power actuated means for feeding grids downwardly into the pasting device, a platen tiltably mounted adjacent the upper end of the feed-y 

